April 12, 2015

Holy Trinity, Skipton, North Yorkshire

A day trip to this rather nice market town. The church at the top of the town is Holy Trinity. Wheelchair access is at the east side of the churchyard (though it isn’t signposted by the main, stepped entrance), but entrance to the church is flat. Lovely gardens beside the walls and a welcoming entrance. There is a wheelchair lift up to the café, but they weren’t sure how to operate it. We were asked very nicely if I minded pushing out, round past the tower and in to the café through the side door. No worries, but I...
Categories Outside Northumberland Comments: 5
March 29, 2015

Cowgate, Newcastle upon Tyne – St Peter

On Tuesday 17 March we had a Deanery Chapter at St Peter’s Cowgate, another Deanery Church I have driven past thousands of times, but never been in. I don’t know the date of the church, but it is a solid brick building beside the main road.   The interior is not particularly beautiful – sorry good folk of Cowgate. I like the altar cross and the banner, but the Stations don’t do a lot for me. As the church has no side chapels or anywhere for a few to gather, the Chapel of St John Boscoe has been built...
Categories Newcastle upon Tyne Comments: 0
March 29, 2015

Knutsford, Cheshire – St John

Staying in Cheshire for a few days. On Friday 6 March Alex and I drove to Knutsford, so I could find a bank. We then walked down to St John’s church – website. The church is at one end of the High Street, surrounded by the busyness of the town, and the churchyard was beautiful. We walked down the main path – which is made of the headstones. I find it so sad when headstones are reduced to this – I know how angry I’d feel if, even in 300 years time, someone took Gareth’s and Theo’s headstones and put them...
Categories Outside Northumberland/World War 1 Comments: 0
March 13, 2015

London – St Lawrence Jewry

Just down the road is the church of St Lawrence Jewry – just beside the Guildhall. In my days in London – I worked as Librarian for the solicitors firm of Bischoff and Co from 1985-88 – I used to go here sometimes for a midweek service. Their website doesn’t work as well as St Mary le Bow’s, but it has more Bible quotes. They have regular weekday services, welcoming notices, and a nice fishpond. The first church here was built on the western edge of the Jewish trading area. It was built in 1136. The Jews were expelled in 1290,...
Categories Outside Northumberland/Personal Comments: 0
March 12, 2015

Whittingham – St Bartholomew (again)

I had a DAC visit to Whittingham to look at plans for a kitchen in the south transept. Since last visiting in May 2013 they have put a loo in the south west corner, and had the floors well-sorted. It was nice to go back. I was running a little early, so I stopped in the middle of the village to look at the Ravensworth Statue and Fountain – a grade II listed statue. It was built in 1905 in memory of Athole, 3rd Earl of Ravensworth, erected by the Countess Caroline, his wife. Some nice metal signs nearby....
Categories Northumberland/World War 1 Comments: 0
February 26, 2015

Sugley – Holy Saviour

The day after we had been to Carlisle, I went to Sugley for an evening Deanery Chapter meeting. I went back on Friday 30 to get outside pictures in daylight. Holy Saviour, Scotswood Road, Sugley, serves the community of Lemington. Website at http://holysaviour.co.uk/. The church is on the north side of the road at NZ187646, with a car park on the north west side of the church – the church is actually aligned north-south. Although in our Deanery I had not been in until last autumn – the previous Vicar wasn’t in favour of women priests so had little...
Categories Newcastle upon Tyne/Personal/World War 1 Comments: 5
February 26, 2015

Carlisle Cathedral

Monday 26 January 2015, and we had had a drive to the Cumbrian coast. We returned to Carlisle and parked near the Cathedral. We like the city, have visited the Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery – website, and some good bookshops. For some reason we have not been into the Cathedral for many years. Their cafe was shut, but we had a good explore of the Cathedral. My photos are not brilliant as it was quite dark. Let me start by quoting Pevsner (my lovely wife bought me the Cumbria and Durham Pevsners for Christmas – I’m sure my...
Categories Cathedrals/Cumbria Comments: 0
January 24, 2015

Sheffield Cathedral

If my maths is right this will be blog 200 – so 200 can celebrate son Harry getting his MA and Sarah getting her MSc from Sheffield University. We will also celebrate that Sheffield Cathedral has its own tram stop. It is amusing that Julie’s disabled pass from Northumberland gets her on a Sheffield tram free, but she has to pay for a ride on a Newcastle metro. Harry has been in Sheffield for over 4 years and we had not been in the Cathedral – this morning, Friday 16 January 2015 (his graduation is in the afternoon), we finally...
Categories Cathedrals/Outside Northumberland/Personal/World War 1 Comments: 2
January 10, 2015

Kendal Parish Church, Cumbria

Kendal Parish Church – the church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity. I had a job interview here in 2008 and didn’t become Vicar – I bear them no ill-will. It was nice to have a wander round the church today knowing I wasn’t about to be interviewed! The church is situated in the south of the town at SD517922 with a car park – I had a smile that when parking on church business you can only stay for ½ hour (how many walk out during the sermon because they have been parked too long?). Very good website –...
Categories Cumbria Comments: 0
January 5, 2015

Birtley – St Giles

St Giles, Birtley stands high above the North Tyne – we crossed the bridge at Wark, crossed the old line that used to run north to Riccarton Junction – I have just typed that into google to check the spelling, and got “junction near Riccarton” and a link to the Punjabi Junction restaurant in Edinburgh. Isn’t the internet marvellous! Apparently there is a metal roadsign in Birtley still pointing to “Wark station” (I must go and look for it). The church is in a group with Chollerton and Gunnerton. It is on the right as you enter the village...
Categories Northumberland/Outside Northumberland/World War 1 Comments: 5